140 QUEEN ELIZABETH
whelmed with joy at Elizabeth's treasures. One
pair of her ear-rings survived, and are to this day
set as part of the ornamentation of the Crown of
England.
Elizabeth's wardrobe was therefore reckoned
definitely as wealth to be kept and given to her
heirs. And when we read of the countless pre-
sents she received each year, we may be sure a
good proportion of these expensive clothes had
been given her. She had not cost the nation much,
and indeed her accounts show that she always
economized on her personal spending.
Another item which cost her hosts krge sums
was the entertainment provided. Shows, pageants,
theatrical performances, often on a very ambitious
scale, were got up for her Amusement. Naturally
rich nobles liked to see who could provide the
best, and there were no lengths to which some
would not go. Leicester, who w^g both wealthy
and showy, gave one of the most famous at Kenil-
worth. As was usual, the " pageant " turned on
some compliments to the Queen. It beganjsyith '
a huge giant of a porter, a wild man, brandishing
a great club ferociously, who, when his eyes fell
on the Queen as she approached, dropped his
weapon, gave up his key and knelt down, quite
melted by the sight of her. The entertainment
had an unrehearsed incident when one of the
" savages ", overdoing his part, threw away a
great branch he was carrying with so much force,
to show his delight, that it flew violently through